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Topic: pictures (Read 3789 times)

I'm new to blogging and i've been wondering . where do you find pictures for your blog post? other than diy projects where I take my own pictures Ive been google searching images and then have to inquire if there any copyrights to the picture and its a pain is there an easier way?

Try Flickr for royalty free photos for your blog! Look for images under a Creative Commons Attribution license. Make sure to read the license info but basically (I believe*) you don't have to ask but you do have to credit/link the source. That's good blog etiquette anyway. There's nothing worse than stumbling on someone else's blog and finding your photos pilfered w/out any link back & proper credit to your post.

I've always purchased images outside of my own so I'd love to see some follow-ups with more suggestions for the free route. It's a great question!

I'd also love to see more input on this topic. I have a Flikr account but am still confused about which images are OK. I haven't logged in for a while, so I can't provide specifics. For now, I'm using my own pictures and a few freebies that I've found in MicroSoft clipart etc. My question is, when I share a blog post to Facebook, my post pic isn't always shared as well. A lot of times, FB chooses my header to display. What's up with that? If the pic is mine and on my computer, it seems to stick. Otherwise, no. Help, please!

I totally forgot about Microsoft clip art. I used to use that way back in the 90's when I first started web design! It was great back then and there really weren't a ton of options.

Another site to check out would be Morguefile.com. Gloomy name but from the FAQ's, "If you would like to use the image in a blog post, we recommend contacting the photographer and providing a by line under the photo with the photographer's name." Crediting the photo and a quick email to let them (if you're logged in) is pretty painless and then it's all legit and won't get you in trouble.

@KerryS The Facebook question is a whole new question so you'll want to start a new thread for that!

I use my own photos. I really appreciate from a photographers standpoint you all taking the time and due diligence to ensure the images you use are linked back and have the appropriate permissions. This is not always the case in the blogging world, and little do bloggers realize the trouble they could face if a person of said image(s) pursued something legal.

In terms of ideas of free and incensed photos you could also look at Deviant art. They have an option for artists to license their work and said license should be visible with the photo you may want. Not all are available mind you but some. Also some artists not just on there but other places are looking for exposure. I would see if you could do some of a trade of photo for advertising on your blog? It never hurts to ask, as long as I'm asked ahead of time and properly credited I will often allow the use of my images else where.

That's a great tip Alize. If you're easily sidetracked, careful at Deviant Art. I am big time so, for me, it's one of those sites that can be distracting. Which means it's good! Like Pinterest. You go there to look for one thing and 3 hours later you have 10 tabs open and have forgotten what you started looking for. I rarely directly go there but land at deviant art often.

Great resource Kristie. That's one of the better blog posts I've seen. I've never heard of Unsplash before. I love the simplicity. "Do whatever you want." Still checking out the rest. My web ADD is kicking on DYOB.

I had a blog yesterday that applied to the TMB directory that I couldn't let in because every photo was watermarked from stock photo sites. Like the images were just taken from a Google image search. In almost every post! It screamed copyright violation.

I use Flickr as well as using my own photos. When you do a search in Flickr use the drop down menu to find creative commons photos, and then you can also select if you want photos that are free to use, even commercially, and ok to adapt. It's a good idea to read up on creative commons licenses a little and what the different ones will mean. Then, when you go to attribute the picture, what I do is I do "Photo Credit: Photo Name by Flickr Username (CC abbreviated license)" I'll link the photo name to the photo page on Flickr, and the Flickr username usually to their Flickr homepage unless I notice a request to link to another site. Click on the license under the image and it will take you to a page explaining that particular license, I get the abbreviated bit from there and link to the license. Three links for one accreditation... but hey, I'm really trying to do it right! I just hope that I haven't ever accidentally grabbed a pic off it that someone actually didn't have the rights to share.

I also had the same question as I am also new to blogging, I will give Flickr a go and see if I can find better pictures for my blog.Great this is only my third post and I have already learn something, thanks for the advise.